Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a load balancer for rotating members and more particularly relates to a balancing system for rotating members such as vehicle wheels and flywheels in which a movable fluid mass is disposed within a conduit which is secured to the rotating member within an annular recess or groove. The fluid mass shifts as the member rotates to compensate for imbalance and vibration.
Various systems have been developed for properly balancing rotating members such as wheel and tire assemblies so that the tire does not wear unevenly shortening the tread life of the tire. One of the most commonly employed systems for balancing wheel and tire assemblies secures counterbalancing lead weights to the wheel at various positions. Such a system is not entirely satisfactory since the weights are fixed and tend to compensate only for the condition that exists at the time of mounting. In the event the condition changes due to tire wear, balancing systems of this type are no longer effective.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,259,269 discloses a flywheel assembly having a hub and a web. Weights are secured to the flywheel in a manner so that the effective weight and position are adjustable to discrete positions correlated to different points of balance.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,755,006 discloses a dynamic wheel balancing device having flexibly weighting members which are driven outwardly by increased centrifugal forces to produce the desired balancing effect.
One particularly effective load balancing device is shown in my prior patent, U.S. Pat. No. 4,388,841. This patent discloses a load balancing device for rotating apparatus such as washing machines and vehicle tires. The device consists of a conduit defining an interior passage or raceway which contains a high density fluid mass which shifts or moves to oppose load imbalances. Mounting brackets are provided to attach the balancing ring to the structure. The attachment brackets are slidable along the ring and adjustable and adapted for securement in various positions or arrangements. In other embodiments, the attachment brackets are adapted to accommodate various wheel and bolt spacings for vehicles.
Later patents such as U.S. Pat. No. 4,870,908 have utilized load balancing systems similar to that shown in my '841 patent utilizing a tubular load ring containing a fluid and spherical load ballast member.
The load balancing system of my prior patent has worked well and has been commercially accepted. However, as indicated above, my prior device is one which has a mounting bracket which has a bracket or plate which is securable to the rotating member at a spoke or rim. Other prior art balancing arrangements such as those described are complex and may require manual adjustment and are not self balancing in operation. However, there are applications in which the universal bracket arrangement will not be accommodated easily on the rotating member. Further, there are applications where it is desirable to enclose a self-balancing member to provide maximum protection against damage to the annular balancing member.